Stringed musical instrument having tone-varying means

ABSTRACT

A stringed musical instrument having keyboard-actuated hammers for striking strings. Means are carried by the instrument for varying the tone of the strings.

'ilnited States Patent [191 Land [ STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVKNGTONE-VARYING MEANS [75] Inventor: Robert Lee Land, Daytona Beach,

Fla.

[73] Assignee: Horace Smith, Daytona Beach,

Fla., a part interest [22] Filed: Dec. 14, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 315,121

[52] 111.5. (11. 84/200, 84/312 [51] lint. CI. G10c 3/10 [58] Field ofSearch 84/173, 174, 200,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,483,617 10/1949 Bradley84/312 2,949,806 8/1960 Turman 84/312 Primary Examiner-Richard B.Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin Attorney-William M.Hobby et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A stringed musical instrument having keyboard actuatedhammers for striking strings. Means are carried by the instrument forvarying the tone of the strings.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVINGTONE-VARYING MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to musical instruments, and in particularrelates to stringed musical instruments having means associatedtherewith for varying the tone of at least one of the strings.

2. Description of the Prior Art I-Iarps, pianos and guitars are examplesof a variety of musical instruments in which the musical sound isproduced by plucking or striking one or more tensioned strings. Onoccasion, one or more strings of some instruments, such as a guitar or abanjo, are manually tuned by the player during play. Generally, however,the strings of most stringed instruments are tuned prior to play, andthe tension is left unchanged during any given number.

In the prior art there is a variety of console-type steel guitars whichincludes foot pedals for varying the tension on one or more strings toachieve a glissando effect. For example, see U. S. Pat. No. 2,467,086 toHise et al.; U. S. Pat. No. 3,610,536 to Cousineau; U. S. Pat. No.2,889,732 to Juick; and U. S. Pat. No. 2,973,682 to Fender. Similararrangements have also been suggested for guitars; in this regard see U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,086 to Turman. Aside from the dampening ped alsnormally employed in pianos, it has also been suggested in the prior artto utilize foot actuated pedals to actuate a second set of strings inthe piano; see U. S. Pat. No. 3,103,848 to Nassar.

It is also desirable to employ means which would allow a similarglissando effect to be achieved in other types of stringed instruments,such as pianos, for example.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a musicalinstrument having an instrument frame member with strings tensionedbetween two portions of the instrument. A keyboard is carried by theinstrument, and is associated with a plurality of hammers likewisecarried by the instrument, each hammer being activated by acorresponding key on the keyboard and thereby adapted to strike acorresponding string. The present invention further includes meanscarried by the member for tuning at least one of the strings.

THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a pianoemploying the tone varying means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the tone varying means illustrated inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a piano employing tone varyingmeans in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A detailed description of the preferred embodimentof the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3 and described withreference thereto.

Noting FIG. I, a piano includes an upright piano case 12 having a frontpanel 14 and an opposing rear panel 16. The piano 10 further comprises akeyboard 18 and a plurality of hammers 20, one of which is shown incross-section in FIG. 1. Each hammer 20 is coupled to a correspondingkey on the keyboard 18, such that when the corresponding key isdepressed, the hammer 20 is activated to strike one or morecorresponding piano strings 40, which are described in detail below. Themanner in which the keys on the keyboard are coupled to the hammers 20is well known and are therefore simply illustrated by a broken line 22in FIG. 1.

With reference to FIGS. 11 and 2, and in accordance with the presentinvention, the piano 10 further includes means for tuning one or more ofthe piano strings. In this embodiment, this means comprises a framemember 24 disposed within the piano case 112 and having a bar 26 mountedacross the frame and braced thereto. Preferably, the frame 24 isfabricated from steel, or another high tensile strength metal. While thedimensions of the frame 24 are not critical, it is preferable toconstruct the frame such that it rests in the lower portion of the pianocase 12.

The frame 24 includes front and rear walls 28, 30 re spectively, andopposing side walls 32, 34 at the ends thereof. Preferably, the bar 26is juxtaposed so as to be proximal to the rear wall 30.

A plurality of metallic rings 36 are fitted around the bar 26, each ring36 including three extensions therefrom (note FIG. 1). A first one ofthe extensions on each ring 36 serves as a string tip 38, each stringtip having one end of the piano string 40 attached thereto. The otherend of each string 40 is joined to the instrument case 12, such thateach string is tensioned between two portions of the inside of the case12, including the string tip 38.

The tone-varying means of the present invention further comprises afoot-actuated pedal 42 mounted on the outer face 44 of the front wall 28of the frame 24, as by bolts (shown but not numbered in FIG. 1). Thepedal 42 is pivotably mounted by a pivot pin 45. The front panel 14 ofthe case 12 has a large opening 46 therein through which the pedal 42extends. A plurality of adjustable rods 48'are each pivotably joinedalong a corresponding pedal 42 at a leverage point by a second pin 50.Each rod 48 extends through corresponding apertures 50, 52,respectively, in the front panel 14 of the case 12 and the front wall 28of the frame member 24. The length of the rod 48 is varied by employinga turnbuckle 54 interposed along the rod and exterior to the case 12.

A second one of the extensions of each ring 36 comprises a cable tip 56.Noting FIG. 2, each cable 58 is attached to pre-selected ones of thecable tips 58 at the other end to a corresponding one of the rods 48. Byway of example, two cables 58 may be attached to the cable tips 56 ofrings 36 which are associated with two different notes in the sameoctave; similarly, only one cable may be employed with the ringcorresponding to a single note in each octave.

The frame member 24 further comprises a cable guide 60 having guideslots 62 which receive cables 58 corresponding to an adjacent ring 36.Preferably, the frame member 24 also includes a number of intermediatebraces 64, one of which is shown in FIG. 2, in order to providestructural support.

Referring again to FIG. II, the third extension of each ring 36comprises a ring stop member 66 which is adapted to engage the proximalportion of the back wall 30 of the frame 24, and thereby restrict theclockwise rotation (as viewed endwise in FIG. 1) of the ring 36.

The tone-varying apparatus incorporated in frame member 24 operates inthe following manner.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it is preferable to employ tone-varying meansonly on the higher notes, and thus only with respect to the stringsassociated with the higher, right-hand end of the keyboard 18.Therefore, the pedals- 42 are primarily operated by the right foot ofthe player.

Prior to play, one or more strings are adapted for inplay tuning byloosening the turnbuckles 54 and placing the ends of the cable 58 intothe pre-selected cable tips 56. The turnbuckles 54 are then adjusted tothe desired tension. During play, when a key associated with one of thepre-selected strings 40 is struck, the corresponding pedal 42 isdepressed, causing the rod 48 to draw the cable 58 downward and therebyrotating the ring 36 to which that cable is attached. This furthercauses the string tip 38 to be rotated, thus tightening, i. e., tuning,the string 40 attached thereto. This achieves a highly unusual glissandoeffect from the vibrating string.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art of manufacturingmusical instruments that a number of modifications and alterations maybe made with respect to the embodiment illustrated and described above,without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A musical instrument comprising:

an instrument member;

strings tensioned between two portions of said instrument;

a keyboard carried by said instrument;

a plurality of hammers carried by said instrument, each hammer activatedby a corresponding key on said key-board and adapted to strike acorresponding one of said strings;

at least one pedal carried by said member and adapted to be footoperated and means associated with said pedal for changing the tensionof at least one of said strings.

2. A musical instrument as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a frame;

a bar mounted across and braced by said frame;

at least one annular member fitted around said bar with one end of saidone string affixed thereto; and wherein said tensionchanging meanscomprises means for rotating said annular member with respect to saidframe.

3. A musical instrument as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

a string tip extending away from the periphery of said annular memberand having one end of said string attached thereto;

a cable tip extending away from the periphery of said annular member;and

a cable attached to said cable tip and adapted to be pulled by saidpedal to effect rotation of said annular member about said bar.

4. A musical instrument as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

said frame including a portion extending proximal to said annularmember;

a stop member extending away from said annular member and adapted toengage said proximal portion of said frame so as to maintain theoriginal position of said annular member during periods between rotationby said pedal.

5. A musical instrument as recited in claim 3 wherein said pedal ispivotably mounted along an outer wall of said frame, said instrumentfurther comprising:

a rod attached at one end to said pedal and coupled at the other end tosaid cable; and

means for varying the length of said rod.

6. A musical instrument as recited in claim 5 further comprising:

a cable guide mounted in said frame and spaced from and substantiallyparallel to said rod, said guide having at least one aperturetherethrough opposing said one annular member; and wherein said cableextends between said cable tip and said rod and through said aperture.

7. A musical instrument as recited in claim 6 wherein said instrumentcomprises a plurality of said annular members fitted around said bar,each having a corresponding string affixed thereto;

said guide having a plurality of apertures each corresponding to one ofsaid annular members; and

a cable attached to at least two of said annular members and coupled tosaid pedal.

8. A musical instrument as recited in claim 7 further comprising aplurality of braces extending between opposing walls within said frameand substantially perpendicular to, and supporting said bar.

1. A musical instrument comprising: an instrument member; stringstensioned between two portions of said instrument; a keyboard carried bysaid instrument; a plurality of hammers carried by said instrument, eachhammer activated by a corresponding key on said key-board and adapted tostrike a corresponding one of said strings; at least one pedal carriedby said member and adapted to be foot operated and means associated withsaid pedal for changing the tension of at least one of said strings. 2.A musical instrument as recited in claim 1 further comprising: a frame;a bar mounted across and braced by said frame; at least one annularmember fitted around said bar with one end of said one string affixedthereto; and wherein said tension-changing means comprises means forrotating said annular member with respect to said frame.
 3. A musicalinstrument as recited in claim 2 further comprising: a string tipextending away from the periphery of said annular member and having oneend of said string attached thereto; a cable tip extending away from theperiphery of said annular member; and a cable attached to said cable tipand adapted to be pulled by said pedal to effect rotation of saidannular member about said bar.
 4. A musical instrument as recited inclaim 3 further comprising: said frame including a portion extendingproximal to said annular member; a stop member extending away from saidannular member and adapted to engage said proximal portion of said frameso as to maintain the original position of said annular member duringperiods between rotation by said pedal.
 5. A musical instrument asrecited in claim 3 wherein said pedal is pivotably mounted along anouter wall of said frame, said instrument further comprising: a rodattached at one end to said pedal and coupled at the other end to saidcable; and means for varying the length of said rod.
 6. A musicalinstrument as recited in claim 5 further comprising: a cable guidemounted in said frame and spaced from and substantially parallel to saidrod, said guide having at least one aperture therethrough opposing saidone annular member; and wherein said cable extends between said cabletip and said rod and through said aperture.
 7. A musical instrument asrecited in claim 6 wherein said instrument comprises a plurality of saidannular members fitted around said bar, each having a correspondingstring affixed thereto; said guide having a plurality of apertures eachcorresponding to one of said annular members; and a cable attached to atleast two of said annular members and coupled to said pedal.
 8. Amusical instrument as recited in claim 7 further comprising a pluralityof braces extending between opposing walls within said frame andsubstantially perpendicular to, and supporting said bar.